Council Environmental Quality Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Environmental Quality Committee met on March 12, 2013, at 11:05 AM, with Stinnett presiding. The committee addressed five agenda items during the meeting, including reviews of environmental education effectiveness, internal city activities, recycling challenges, and financial matters. The committee took two votes and heard four public comments. One agenda item—Hard to Recycle Materials—was postponed, while the remaining four items were presented for informational purposes.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on March 12, 2013:

• Stinnett
• Mossotti
• Gorton
• Akers
• Farmer
• Scutchfield
• Myers
• Clarke
• Henson
• Lane

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

The committee took two votes during this meeting:

Approval of February 12, 2013 Committee Summary

The committee voted to approve the February 12, 2013 Committee Summary with corrections. The motion was made by Stinnett and seconded by Farmer. The measure passed by voice vote with no abstentions. 8:16

Postponement of Hard to Recycle Materials Item

The committee voted to postpone the "Hard to Recycle Materials" agenda item. The motion was made by Stinnett and seconded by Farmer. The measure passed by voice vote with no abstentions. 1:41:48

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed three significant financial allocations:

Stormwater Projects Funding The Kentucky Infrastructure Authority received $56,000,000 in grant funding designated for stormwater projects.

Water Quality Management Fee The Division of Environmental Quality was allocated $545,000 as an annual appropriation for the Water Quality Management Fee.

Sanitary Sewer Fund Capital Reserve The Sanitary Sewer Fund received a $4,800,000 appropriation for capital reserve purposes.

Public Comment

Council members raised several concerns during the meeting regarding municipal infrastructure and environmental tracking.

Streetlight Maintenance and Service

Council Member Myers 1:35:55 suggested negotiating franchise agreement terms with KU to require a proactive team for identifying and fixing out-of-service streetlights, and to establish time limits for repairs after reporting.

Council Member Henson 1:40:15 expressed concern that KU does not proactively inspect for out-of-service streetlights and instead relies on citizen reports. Henson suggested a need for policy change or contract stipulation to ensure timely repairs.

Greenhouse Gas Inventory Progress

Council Member Kay 1:07:02 requested an update on the 2011 emissions inventory and emphasized the importance of having a baseline to track progress toward the city's 1% per capita annual reduction goal.

Energy Infrastructure and Efficiency

Council Member Farmer 1:18:10 asked why the city's energy footprint is heavily reliant on electricity rather than natural gas, and questioned the efficiency of current infrastructure and retrofitting priorities.

Contested Items

Streetlight Maintenance and Utility Accountability

Council members engaged in a heated discussion regarding KU's approach to streetlight maintenance and repair. The primary concern centered on the utility company's lack of proactive maintenance, with the city currently relying on citizen reports to identify problems requiring attention. Council members questioned the terms of the existing contract and relevant franchise agreement provisions, seeking clarification on the city's options for improvement. Discussion focused on whether the city should negotiate with KU for faster response times or establish formal service guarantees to ensure more reliable and timely streetlight maintenance.

Energy Efficiency and Building Standards

A split vote occurred over proposed requirements for new city buildings to meet LEED certification standards. The debate reflected disagreement about the appropriate energy efficiency standards for municipal construction projects. A complicating factor in the discussion was uncertainty regarding whether an existing executive order mandating such standards remained in effect under the current administration. This ambiguity about the status of prior directives contributed to the division among council members on whether to proceed with or modify the LEED certification requirement.

Annual Review of Environmental Quality Public Education Effectiveness

Mark York from the Division of Environmental Quality presented an annual review of the stormwater public education campaign's effectiveness 8:52.

Presentation Content

The presentation focused on assessing the impact of public education efforts related to environmental quality and stormwater management. York highlighted several key components of the campaign:

• Increased public awareness metrics resulting from education initiatives
• Expanded outreach efforts targeting schools and businesses
• Community engagement strategies designed to improve water quality
• Adaptive management approaches based on campaign feedback and results

Key Findings

The presentation included data analysis on multiple aspects of the campaign's performance:

• Public knowledge gaps identified through assessment activities
• Campaign results demonstrating the reach and effectiveness of education materials
• Performance metrics tracking progress toward environmental quality goals

Outcome

This agenda item was presented as informational, providing the body with an overview of the Division of Environmental Quality's public education efforts and their measurable outcomes. No formal action or decision was required as a result of this presentation.

Empower Lexington: LFUCG Internal Activities

James Bush, Energy Program Manager, presented an update on internal energy efficiency initiatives being undertaken by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) 39:31.

The presentation covered several key areas of focus:

• Tariff optimization – efforts to optimize energy tariffs across city operations
• Energy Improvement Fund – a dedicated fund to support energy efficiency projects
• Fleet electrification – initiatives to transition the city's vehicle fleet to electric power
• Building benchmarking – systematic assessment and tracking of energy performance across city facilities

Bush emphasized that these initiatives represent ongoing efforts by LFUCG to reduce energy consumption and improve operational efficiency across municipal facilities. The presentation was informational in nature, providing an overview of the city's internal energy management strategy and progress to date.

No specific concerns or debate items were documented from this agenda item.

Hard to Recycle Materials

The committee discussed the challenge of managing hard-to-recycle materials during this agenda item. Key speakers on this topic included Stinnett and Farmer.

Rather than proceeding with a full discussion and decision, the committee agreed to postpone this item to allow for further preparation. A motion to postpone was brought before the committee and passed unanimously.

The specific details of the materials under consideration, particular concerns raised, or the nature of the preparation needed were not documented in the available meeting record. The postponement indicates the committee determined additional time and resources would be beneficial before taking action on this matter.

Monthly Finances

Bill O'Mara presented quarterly financial updates covering three major funds: the Sanitary Sewer Fund, Landfill Fund, and Water Quality Management Fund. 1:42:25

Presentation Content

The presentation included detailed information on fund balances, capital reserves, and trends in revenue and expenditures across the three funds. O'Mara also addressed the impact of recent billing system changes on financial reporting and fund performance.

Key Speakers

Bill O'Mara delivered the primary presentation, with Charlie Martin participating in the discussion.

Committee Emphasis

The committee stressed the importance of receiving consistent quarterly reporting on these funds going forward, indicating a desire for regular financial updates to maintain oversight of fund management.

Outcome

This agenda item was informational in nature, with no formal action required. The presentation provided the committee with current financial status across the three funds and established expectations for ongoing quarterly financial reporting.

Items Referred

Stinnett reviewed items referred to the committee during this portion of the meeting 1:59:41. The discussion covered three main items that would be carried forward to the April agenda:

Items Under Review:

• Distillery District feasibility study
• Waste Management Operation Efficiency Boost project
• Effectiveness of Environmental Policy public education efforts

The committee confirmed that these referred items would appear on the April agenda for further consideration and action.

Outcome:

This agenda item was informational in nature, with the committee acknowledging the referred items and their placement on the upcoming April meeting schedule.